Probably not. But seeing as I just finished watching Season 5, I’m going to write one anyway, if only to get all this angst out of my system. And I’ll start by saying I really didn’t like The Wire. I liked some of the characters in The Wire. Wallace and Duquan were my favourites, and maybe how things ended for them is why I didn’t like the show. I also liked Nick Sobotka. And Bubbles. And Michael. By Season 5, I even had soft spots for Bodie and Omar.
A lot of people that don’t like The Wire say they find it dull, boring, and slow. I’m actually okay with the pacing. It took me almost a year to get through all five seasons, but it’s not because it was slow. It’s more because it was so … intense. I’d watch a few episodes and need a break. Then I’d finish a season and need a longer break. The Wire is way too heavy to finish in one sitting.
What I don’t like about the show is that it’s so … depressing. It seems like the point of the show is, ‘don’t try to make things better because the world is totally fucked and you can’t beat the system, period.’ McNulty tries to beat alcoholism and womanising. He can’t. Ziggy tries to make a life outside the docks. He can’t. Dukie tries to escape the drug culture his parents kept him in. He can’t. Michael tries to avoid being a thug and stay in school. He can’t. Randy tries to get out of the foster system. He can’t. Daniels tries to rise honestly as a cop. He can’t. Rhonda tries to break the Baltimore Drug League with wire taps. She can’t.
In fact, the only person that succeeds is Bubbles, and he only does that after losing one best friend and accidentally killing another. Meanwhile, all the characters that lie, cheat, and corrupt the system succeed. Clay Davies. Herc. Tommy Carcetti. The Greek. Templeton. Valcheck. It’s like the point of this show is that evil wins, so there’s no point trying to be good.
I suppose that’s why people say it’s realistic. There are no happy endings and everyone gets fucked. I don’t want to think the world really is that bleak, and that’s why I don’t like the show. I think life sucks as is, and that’s why I escape into selected fiction, a world unicorns, rainbows, and smart jokes.
My problem with The Wire isn’t its construction or storytelling. I think those are actually quite good. I think the characters are deeply intense and complex – except for Marlo, who seemed a little flat to me. I think the slow pace allowed me to absorb each moment, and I love the dialogue. I didn’t understand some of it, and every once in a while, I rewound a scene and replayed it with subtitles.
One of my favourite lines came from Colvin, when he chuckles and says the school system thinks they’re educating the kids for exams, but they’re just preparing them for life on the streets. And both he and Prez are proven right because once they take class lessons and put them in street context, the kids surprise them by showing how smart they are.
So my problem isn’t with the construction or the style of The Wire. It’s with its message. For me, The Wire felt like five seasons of torturous EMO. And while I generally enjoy the occasional gothic ballad, I didn’t want its subtext dissected quite so acutely. I hated how the characters were trapped on their life paths with no way out, no matter how hard they tried. Frankly, after watching Nick stare at the empty docks, Michael hold up the rim shop, and Dukie put the needle in his arm, I wanted to go jump off a bridge. And as a depressive, wanting and doing are two dangerously close things.
Ironically, this is the point where someone will remind me it’s only a TV show, and that it would be stupid to kill yourself over a TV show. Ironic because what people love most about this show is how realistic it is. David Simon – who created The Wire – made a comment that pissed people off. Later, he explained what he meant by the comment.
So I suppose that for him, the message was the most important part of the show, far more important than which characters we did or didn’t like, or which of them was a ‘badder gangsta.’ He wants us to think about, and discuss the underlying causes of these problems. And yet … after five seasons … I came away thinking that discussing, strategising, or even resolving these crisis makes no difference because it simply can’t be done. Just ask the Prez, or Colvin, or Gus, or the major crimes unit.
The powers that be simply won’t let anything change, so there’s no point. And even the ones that want to change things, once they get into power, they don’t want things to change anymore. Basically, power trumps decent life. As someone that can’t stand soaps because of their torturous defeatism, seeing the same aspect play out in five seasons of intensely beautiful storytelling was why too much for me. It seems to dwell on the futility of life, which is pretty depressing, because futile or not, we still have to live. And THAT is why I didn’t like The Wire.
♫ Until it’s gone ♫ Linkin Park ♫
Wow! Thank you! I constantly needed to write on my website something like that. Can I include a portion of your post to my site?
obviously like your web site but you need to check the spelling on several of your posts. A number of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very troublesome to tell the truth nevertheless I’ll certainly come back again.
Thanks for the auspicious writeup. It in truth was a entertainment account it. Look complicated to far delivered agreeable from you! By the way, how could we keep in touch?
Keep up the wonderful work , I read few posts on this web site and I think that your web site is really interesting and has got bands of excellent information.
Hi my family member! I want to say that this article is amazing, nice written and come with almost all significant infos. I’d like to look more posts like this.
Wow, superb blog format! How long have you been running a blog for? you made running a blog look easy. The entire look of your web site is great, as neatly as the content material!
Thanks, I have just been searching for information about this topic for a while and yours is the greatest I have came upon so far. But, what about the bottom line? Are you positive about the source?
Valuable information. Lucky me I found your website by accident, and I am shocked why this accident did not happened earlier! I bookmarked it.
Appreciate it for helping out, fantastic info .
I would like to thnkx for the efforts you’ve put in writing this blog. I am hoping the same high-grade site post from you in the upcoming as well. In fact your creative writing skills has inspired me to get my own blog now. Actually the blogging is spreading its wings rapidly. Your write up is a great example of it.
I have come to understand that costs for on-line degree authorities tend to be an awesome value. For instance a full 4-year college Degree in Communication with the University of Phoenix Online consists of 60 credits from $515/credit or $30,900. Also American Intercontinental University Online makes available Bachelors of Business Administration with a full study course element of 180 units and a tuition fee of $30,560. Online studying has made obtaining your certification been so cool because you can certainly earn your current degree from the comfort of your house and when you finish working. Thanks for all tips I have learned from your blog.
Great write-up, I’m regular visitor of one’s site, maintain up the nice operate, and It is going to be a regular visitor for a lengthy time.
My brother recommended I may like this website. He was totally right. This submit truly made my day. You can not believe simply how so much time I had spent for this info! Thanks!
Thanks for your post on the vacation industry. I would also like to add that if your senior considering traveling, it can be absolutely essential that you buy travel insurance for retirees. When traveling, elderly people are at high risk of getting a healthcare emergency. Obtaining right insurance coverage package on your age group can look after your health and provide peace of mind.
I haven’t checked in here for a while as I thought it was getting boring, but the last several posts are good quality so I guess I’ll add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own weblog and was wondering what all is needed to get set up? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny? I’m not very internet savvy so I’m not 100 positive. Any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
Wow, marvelous blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is magnificent, let alone the content!
I’ve read several excellent stuff here. Definitely value bookmarking for revisiting. I wonder how much effort you put to create one of these excellent informative site.
I have been absent for a while, but now I remember why I used to love this site. Thanks, I will try and check back more often. How frequently you update your website?
My programmer is trying to persuade me to move to .net from PHP. I have always disliked the idea because of the costs. But he’s tryiong none the less. I’ve been using WordPress on a variety of websites for about a year and am nervous about switching to another platform. I have heard fantastic things about blogengine.net. Is there a way I can transfer all my wordpress posts into it? Any kind of help would be really appreciated!
Hello, i think that i saw you visited my blog thus i came to “return the favor”.I am trying to find things to enhance my web site!I suppose its ok to use a few of your ideas!!
Hello, Neat post. There is an issue along with your website in web explorer, might test this… IE still is the marketplace leader and a good component to people will leave out your excellent writing because of this problem.
You are my intake , I possess few blogs and occasionally run out from to post .
Valuable information. Fortunate me I discovered your website by accident, and I am stunned why this accident didn’t happened earlier! I bookmarked it.
Woah! I’m really digging the template/theme of this website. It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s very difficult to get that “perfect balance” between superb usability and visual appearance. I must say you’ve done a awesome job with this. Additionally, the blog loads very fast for me on Chrome. Excellent Blog!
Of course, what a magnificent blog and educative posts, I definitely will bookmark your blog.Best Regards!
I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you design this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz answer back as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to know where u got this from. thanks a lot
A person essentially assist to make significantly articles I’d state. This is the very first time I frequented your website page and up to now? I amazed with the analysis you made to create this particular publish amazing. Magnificent task!
I have recently started a blog, the info you offer on this web site has helped me tremendously. Thanks for all of your time & work.
Hey very nice website!! Man .. Beautiful .. Amazing .. I will bookmark your blog and take the feeds also…I am glad to search out a lot of useful info here within the post, we’d like work out more techniques on this regard, thanks for sharing.
Hello there, simply become aware of your blog via Google, and found that it’s really informative. I’m going to be careful for brussels. I will be grateful should you proceed this in future. Lots of other people will likely be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
Another issue is really that video gaming has become one of the all-time most important forms of recreation for people spanning various ages. Kids play video games, plus adults do, too. The particular XBox 360 is just about the favorite games systems for people who love to have a lot of games available to them, and who like to learn live with other individuals all over the world. Thanks for sharing your notions.
You have observed very interesting details ! ps decent internet site . “In music the passions enjoy themselves.” by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche.
Excellent beat ! I wish to apprentice at the same time as you amend your web site, how can i subscribe for a weblog site? The account helped me a appropriate deal. I were a little bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided bright clear concept
excellent issues altogether, you simply received a new reader. What may you suggest in regards to your post that you just made some days ago? Any positive?
Thanks for every other informative blog. Where else could I am getting that type of information written in such a perfect way? I’ve a undertaking that I am simply now operating on, and I have been at the glance out for such information.
Youre so cool! I dont suppose Ive read anything like this before. So nice to seek out anyone with some unique thoughts on this subject. realy thank you for beginning this up. this website is something that’s needed on the net, somebody with just a little originality. helpful job for bringing something new to the internet!
http://demokrasi.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=bestpornsites.guide
Dead written content , thanks for selective information .
Hmm it seems like your blog ate my first comment (it was extremely long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I wrote and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I too am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m still new to the whole thing. Do you have any tips and hints for newbie blog writers? I’d really appreciate it.
Thanks for your handy post. As time passes, I have come to understand that the particular symptoms of mesothelioma are caused by this build up associated fluid between the lining of your lung and the upper body cavity. The ailment may start inside chest location and spread to other limbs. Other symptoms of pleural mesothelioma cancer include losing weight, severe respiration trouble, throwing up, difficulty eating, and bloating of the face and neck areas. It ought to be noted that some people having the disease don’t experience every serious signs and symptoms at all.
Good day! Would you mind if I share your blog with my twitter group? There’s a lot of folks that I think would really enjoy your content. Please let me know. Thanks
Awesome blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere? A design like yours with a few simple tweeks would really make my blog stand out. Please let me know where you got your theme. With thanks
It is really a great and useful piece of information. I’m glad that you shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
Some genuinely nice and useful info on this site, too I think the pattern contains superb features.
Perfectly pent written content, Really enjoyed studying.
Very interesting info!Perfect just what I was searching for!
http://www.manonvongerkan.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=bestpornsites.guide
Great goods from you, man. I have understand your stuff previous to and you are just too excellent. I really like what you’ve acquired here, really like what you’re saying and the way in which you say it. You make it enjoyable and you still care for to keep it sensible. I cant wait to read much more from you. This is actually a terrific site.
Good day! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I truly enjoy reading your articles. Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that go over the same topics? Thank you!